A ruined and fallen world where it's every man for himself, it's kill or be killed in the eyes of Crow, who's experienced a pain that he chooses to tell no one. His stone cold heart is challenged upon meeting one young girl, as they venture through...
"Hey stranger what brings you to this part of town?"
"Just lookin for a free meal Kev." I replied to Kevin, the guy cooks and hands out the daily ration meals to people in town. My hideout is a hop-skip-and-a-jump into the woods where you'll find my little cabin, just a few miles from some suburbs.
"Yeah yeah, they're only free cause I owe you for saving my neck from them buzzards."
"You're welcome! Hey I'll catch you later." I replied walking away with my hot can of soup.
"Take it easy Crow. You ever gonna tell us why you hide in those woods all alone like the grinch?" he yelled out to me but I just kept shaking my head. I was just about to make my way out, when I got stopped at the exit. My arm was held in a firm grasp and I was forced to engage in conversation.
"What do you want Jase?" Jase was the leader of a local militia group in town, he's always trying to expand and get more members so he can start going on bigger supply raids of bandit camps.
"Why aren't you running with anybody? You're a natural born survivor Crow, and I'd love to have someone like you join our group."
"I've told you more times than I can count, so now I'll kindly ask you to leave me alone." I wasn't in the mood for this. I'm beginning to get sick of having to explain myself over and over to people.
Chapter 1 ________________________________
It was early November, and a freak blizzard was blowing through harshly. I was held up in my little cabin hideaway with a fire going.
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Winters in a post apocalypse would typically be pretty severe to bare but with the windows in tact (some boarded up for security), a warm fire going, and some blankets I scavenged, life wasn't too bad. It was almost dark out and I was about ready to head to get some rest, when I heard a gunshot and voices break through the howling wind. I immediately stood up, grabbed my hunting rifle and tried peering out the window to see what was going on. I couldn't see anything but faintly hear what I assumed to be hunters yelling. But finally through the blizzard I see a young girl trekking through the snow and slouching on a tree about 30 yards away from the cabin, with two buzzards and gun shots following close behind. I was puzzled why a young girl was out alone, and every fiber of my body wanted to stay out of it, but I knew what would happen if those hunters got a hold of her...I had to save her.
I open the door and step into the fierce snow storm. I got near the girl and she was barely moving or making a sound, and the hunters were getting closer. Visibility was poor as well as hearing was difficult, and I was going to use those to my advantage. I sling my rifle on my shoulder and pulled out my knife as I snuck up on one of them, I quickly and quietly took care of him from behind. I took aim at the second one with my rifle and pulled the trigger, watching him fall to the freezing ground, the snow was no longer pure white. I go back to the tree to find the girl still slumped there, I picked her up and she half heartedly tried to fight me saying "Get your hands off me" and "put me down." I tried assuring her she was ok but she was out like a light before I even got back inside the cabin. I get inside and lay her by the fire, and throw a blanket over her...I still don't understand what motivated me to do this, ask anybody around town they'll tell you I would never do something like this for anybody. I guess I just felt sympathy?
